Device for feeding cartridges deposited in a twin cartridge magazine of a gun



3,369,454 DEVICE FOR FEEDING CARTRIDGES DEPOSITED IN A TWIN Feb. 20, 1968 A. 5. CARLSSON CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE OF A GUN Filed April 28, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ARE VT GUS7F4V CHRLSSON BY N01! nd A Troeva: T4

Feb. 20, 1968 A. G. CARLSSON 3,359,454

DEVICE FOR FEEDING CARTRIDGES DEPOSITED IN A TWIN CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE OF A GUN Filed April 28, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a m 47/ Z8 J IZ/// 7 j E1? 35 M3 /0 FIG. 3 36 INVENTOR. ARE VT GUSMV CAQLSSON By M MA ATTORNEYS 1968 A. G. CARLSSON 3,369,454

DEVICE FOR FEEDING CARTRIDGES DEPOSITED IN A TWIN CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE OF A GUN Filed April 28, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ARE/VT Gusmv CARLSSON BY N ML A ATWEY:

United States Patent ()fi ice 3,369,454 Patented Feb. 20, 1968 3,369,454 DEVICE FGR FEEDING CARTRIDGES DEPOSITED IN A TWIN CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE OF A GUN Arent Gustav Carlsson, Karlskoga, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget Bofors, Bofors, Sweden, a company of Sweden Filed Apr. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 546,034 Claims priority, application Sweden, May 6, 1955, 5,959/ 65 6 Claims. (Cl. 8933) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed a cartridge feeding device for a gun the magazine of which includes two compartments cusposed on opposite sides of the gun and a common discharge opening for cartridges. Cartridge transfer means feed the cartridges, one by one, alternately from the two compartments to the discharge opening. Such alternate feeding of the cartridges is effected when and while the cartridge loading mechanism transports a cartridge pickedup at the discharge opening of the magazine to a ps1t1on for ramming the cartridge. The movements of the cartridge transfer means and the loading mechanism are synchronized by linkage means interconnecting the transfer means and the loading mechanism.

The invention relates to a device for feeding forward cartridges in a cartridge magazine, in particular in a twin cartridge magazine comprising two compartments located on either side of a reciprocating cartridge rammer of a gun, in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the rammer.

Cartridge magazines of automatic guns are known in which the cartridge magazine may contain a plurality of cartridges arranged side by side adjacent each other and, as the case may be in vertical rows above each other. To effectively 'utilize space available for the cartridges it may be desirable to arrange parts of the magazine on either side of the central vertical plane of the gun, such a disposal of the magazine also being desirable in order to obtain a proper distribution of gun weight about this plane during transport. For large caliber guns such proper distribution of weight of cartridges is of great significance for the precision of aim while the magazine is being emptied during firing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a transfer of cartridges from the magazine to a ramming position in such a manner that magazine compartments located on either side of the center longitudinal vertical plane of the gun are emptied while retaining the most favorable weight distribution of the cartridges about said plane.

With this object in view a device according to the invention comprises, for the transfer of cartridges from the magazine to a loading mechanism for feeding forward each cartridge from a cartridge outlet port of the magazine to a ramming position in alignment with the gun barrel, cartridge transfer means cooperative with said reciprocating loading mechanism to feed forward a cartridge to said loading mechanism alternately from the magazine compartments located on either side of the center longitudinal vertical plane of the gun.

During a sequence of loading motions of the loading mechanism, which is subjected to a reciprocating movement while transferring cartridges from a cartridge outlet port of the magazine to the rammer, cartridges are thus to be fed out alternately from a left-hand magazine compartment and from a right-hand magazine compartment to the loading means to be then further transferred to the cartridge chamber of the barrel.

The invention relates to a device of the kind described of a gun provided with a reciprocating cartridge loadlng mechanism and comprising, for each magazine compartment located on either side of the central vertical plane of the gun, a reciprocating cartridge transfer means which during a feed motion pushes forward a cartridge to a position for being further conveyed to the barrel by means of the loading mechanism and then returns to the start position for a following motion for feeding forward a cartridge. In order to provide for an alternating transfer of cartridges from both magazine compartments to the reciprocating loading mechanism in an arrangement of the kind described comprising reciprocating cartridge transfer means in the magazine, the cartridge transfer means of one compartment is to be subjected to a cartridge feeding motion for every second reciprocating motion of the loading mechanism and the cartridge transfer means of the second magazine compartment for each intermediate reciprocating motion of the loading mechanism.

For this purpose, said reciprocating cartridge transfer means of said two magazine compartments are each connected to a common rotational drive shaft in a push-pull arrangement, that is to say so that the cartridge transfer means of one magazine compartment is subjected to a feed movement as the cartridge transfer means of the second compartment returns into the position for a following feed motion, and vice versa, and that the reciprocating loading mechanism of the gun is in driving connection with a first member of a unidirectional coupling, the second coupling member of which is in driving connection with the drive shaft common to the cartridge transfer means of the two magazine compartments. The gearing ratio of the drive transmission from the reciprocating loading mechanism to said shaft is so selected that the cartridge transfer means of each magazine compartment performs a feeding motion or a return motion, respectively, for each oscillation of the reciprocating loading mechanism in the direction at which the members of the unidirectional coupling are in engagement.

In a preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention the cartridge transfer means of the respective magazine compartment are of the kind, known per se, with which the step-wise cartridge transfer is provided by means of reciprocating cartridge pushers which are each connected to a bar reciprocating in its longitudinal direction for feeding forward a number of carcartridges, each time one step in the direction towards the magazine outlet. The reciprocating bars are connected to each one crank of the shaft and the shaft is non-rotatively connected to one of the members of the unidirectional coupling, the second coupling member, namely the one connected to the loading mechanism and performing an oscillating motion together therewith, being connected to the loading mechanism at a gearing ratio so selected that the drive shaft rotates half a revolution for each motion in one direction of the loading mechanism. During such part of the oscillating motion of the loading mechanism during which unidirectional coupling is in engagement, the cartridge transfer means of one magazine compartment thus moves forward while pushing the cartridges one step in the direction toward the magazine outlet and the cartridge feeding means of the second compartment returns into position for a following feed, and vice versa during a successive oscillating motion of the loading mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for exactly controlling the positions of the driving shaft connected to the cartridge transfer means after each feed motion of the drive shaft. To this end, the driving shaft comprises two deten ts extending radially of the shaft, one for each position of the shaft in which the cartridge transfer means in one of the magazine compartments occupies the start position for a feed movement and the cartridge transfer means of the second magazine compartment in its end position after having fed forward a cartridge to the loading mechanism. Said detents are cooperative With a detent mounted on a stationary support, either the detent mounted on the support or each one of the detents mounted on the driving shaft being displaceable out of engagement with a detent cooperative therewith to stop the shaft in one of its determined positions. Said displaceable detent or detents, as the case may be, comprise actuating means which during part of the motion of the reciprocating coupling component in the direction in which the unidirectional coupling is in driving engagement to rotate the driving shaft can bring the displaceable detent out of engagement with the projection cooperating therewith to stop the shaft in a predetermined position.

If said second component of the unidirectional coupling connected to the drive shaft of the cartridge transfer means is attached to said shaft, thus having to be rotated exactly half a revolution for each reciprocating movement of the loading means, said coupling component may comprise two detents located on diametrically opposite sides of this coupling component, said first, reciprocating component of the coupling comprising a pivotal spring-actuated latch, cooperative with the detents of the second component in one direction.

The invention will become more clearly apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic illustration of a cartridge magazine of a gun as viewed from below, the figure showing the rear portion of the gun barrel only,

FIG. 2 is a perspective schematical illustration of the drive means of the loading mechanism and the cartridge transfer means of the magazine,

FIGS. 35 show the loading mechanism in a number of positions during a loading movement while transferring a cartridge from the cartridge outlet port of the magazine to a position in alignment with the gun bore to be rammed.

FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of the unidirectional coupling constituting part of the drive means and arranged in the driving power transmission between the loading mechanism and the cartridge transfer means,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of components of the unidirectional coupling illustrated in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a side view of the unidirectional coupling in rest position, and

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the unidirectional coupling at the beginning of a transfer of movement to the cartridge transfer means of the magazine, the coupling component connected to the loading mechanism having previously engaged the component connected to the cartridge transfer means.

Referring to FIG. 1, a magazine l is mounted on the elevational part of the gun and thus pivoting in the longitudinal vertical plane of the gun barrel together with the barrel. FIG. 1 schematically shows parts of the magazine and the cartridge transfer means pertaining thereto for successively feeding forward cartridges to a central position in the magazine, the loading mechanism for conveying to the barrel cartridges fed forward by means of said cartridge transfer means and the rearmost portion of the barrel including the breech block.

As illustrated, the magazine 1 comprises a horizontal row of cartridges 2a, 2b located on either side of the central vertical plane of the magazine and the barrel. One of the cartridges, cartridge 2', is illustrated in a position centrally of the magazine and located above a cartridge outlet port 3 of the magazine, the cartridge having been fed forward to this position from the left-hand compartment of the magazine to be deposited on a loading tray 4 of the loading mechanism for movement by the loading 4 tray to a position for ramming into the cartridge chamber of the barrel 5.

In the embodiment illustrated on the drawing, the loading tray 4 is pivotal on a parallel lever linkage comprising two pairs of pivotal arms 6 and 7, respectively, which are hinged on pivots 8 and 9 supported in bearings in the magazine bottom, and pivotal about pivots 10 and 11 on the loading tray 4. As shown by dashed line 12, the loading tray 4 is movable in a rearward-upward direction into the cartridge outlet port 3 of the magazine for receiving cartrid es fed forward to the port and forward-downward toward the breech block 13 of the barrel for being rammed by means of a ramming mechanism 14 mounted on the loading tray.

The pivots 8 of the levers 6 constitute parts of or are attached to driving shafts 15 of a reciprocating motor or motors 16 to provide for the reciprocating movements of the loading tray 4 when conveying cartridges from the magazine to the barrel. The motors 16 are not further illustrated in the drawings as they may be of any conventional construction and controlled in a manner known per se.

The transfer means for feeding forward cartridges to the outlet port 3 of the magazine comprise two units of which one is located on the left side and the other one on the right side of the center vertical plane of the magazine. In the following, the means of the respective magazine compartments are described only as far as required to understand the present invention. Generally, the cartridge transfer means can be of any conventional type, provided the means are arranged to successively convey cartridges stepwise towards the outlet port of the magazine.

In the embodiment as illustrated, the cartridge transfer means of each magazine compartment is a cartridge transfer apparatus of the kind known per se with which the cartridges, or the lowermost row of cartridges, respectively, when the magazine comprises a plurality of rows of cartridges arranged vertically of each other, occupy positions side by side on a feeder frame 20a, 2012, respectively, which is movable laterally and subjected to a reciprocating movement toward and away from the outlet port 3 to feed forward the cartridges toward the port. For each movement of a feeder frame toward the port, the cartridges are pushed forward by pushers 21a, 21b, respectively, which are pivotally secured to the respective frame, the cartridge located closest to the outlet port 3 being deposited on cartridge retaining arms 22 in a position to be laid upon the loading tray 4 when the same is swung to its uppermost position in the outlet port 3.

After having been fed forward one step towards the outlet port 3 during a feeding movement of one of the frames Zea. and 20b, the cartridges are retained against a backward movement during the return movement of the respective frame by retaining means not illustrated in the drawings. The frames 20a and 20b are each connected by a link 25a, 25b, respectively, to a pivotal lever 23a, 23b, respectively, said levers being pivotal about a pivot 24a, 24b, respectively, attached to the magazine bottom. The pivotal levers 23a and 23b are each connected, by means of a link 26a, 26b, respectively, to each one crank 27a, 27b, respectively, on a common drive shaft 28, the two cranks 27a and 27b being arranged so as to apply to the pusher frames 20a and 2% a mutual pushpull motion, the frame 20a thus executing a feed motion while the frame 20b returns to its start position, and vice versa. Each one of the cartridge feeding apparatus is thus subjected to a reciprocating motion with a feeding stroke and a return stroke in mutual push-pull for each revolution of the shaft 28, and, consequently, the shaft 28 must be driven one half revolution for each full reciprocating loading movement of the loading tray 4 and the pivotal arms 6 and 7.

To this end the device comprises, as a transmission means for transferring driving power from the motor or motors 16 of the loading tray 4 to the drive shaft 28 of the cartridge feeding apparatus, a unidirectional coupling 30, FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of which is further illustrated in FIGS. 6-9. This unidirectional coupling has a coupling component 31 in driving connection with the shaft 28, as illustrated with a spring 34 as a shock and excess motion absorbing power transferring member, and a coupling component 40 in driving engagement via gears 50, 51 and 52 with the shaft of the reciprocating drive motor 16 of the loading tray 4.

For each reciprocating movement of shaft .15 of the motor, the coupling component 40 of unidirectional coupling is also subjected to a reciprocating movement, taking the shaft 28 with it in one direction. Provided the gear ratio in the power transmission means 5052 is correspondingly selected, the shaft28 can then be rotated half a revolution for each full reciprocating movement of the loading tray. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the unidirectional coupling is constructed as described more in detail hereinafter, the gear ratio is so selected that the coupling component connected to shaft 15 is rotated through an angle somewhat larger than half a revolution. The coupling component 31 connected to shaft 28 is, however, prevented from moving more than half a revolution for each reciprocating movement of the loading tray 4 by means of an auxiliary releasable retaining means actuating said coupling each half revolution as further described below.

FIGS; 3-5 show the loading tray 4 in three different positions during a reciprocating motion thereof. FIG. 3 shows the loading tray in full lines in its position adjacent the cartridge outlet port 3 of the magazine to receive a cartridge. During the next preceding downward motion of the loading tray 4 the crank 27a hasmoved into the position illustrated by full lines in FIG. 3 while taking the pusher frame 20a, FIG. 2, with it, thus pushing a cartridge into the position to be deposited upon the loading tray. Crank 27a remains in this position during the return movement of the loading tray 4 toward the outlet port 3 for receiving a cartridge. During a following downward movement of the loading tray, arrow 60 of FIG. 3, gears 52, 51 and 5t) rotate as indicated by arrows, the unidirectional coupling. thus pivoting the crank 27a as indicated by arrow 61 into the position illustrated in dashed lines, that is, through an angle of 180. This pivotal movement of crank 27a ends when the loading tray arrives in its lowermost position, shown with dashed lines in FIG. 3, in which the cartridge can be rammed into the barrel. At the same time the link 26:! is moved into the position illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 3, while pivoting the lever 23a, FIGS. 1 and 2, and bringing the pusher frame 20a back to its start position for a following feed motion, the link 26b simultaneously taking the pusher frame 20b with it while feeding forward a further cartridge to the position for depositing on the loading tray.

The loading tray 4 and crank 27a with link 26a now occupy the position illustrated in FIG. 4. When, thereafter, the loading tray is again swung up to the cartridge outlet port, arrow 62 in FIG. 4, the two components 31 and 40 of the unidirectional coupling are being disengaged, the cranks 27a and 27b and the pusher frames 20a, 20b thus remaining at rest. The cartridge fed forward to outlet port of the magazine by the pusher frame 20b is now released and deposited on the loading tray and the loading tray is swung downward-forward as indicated by arrow 63 in FIG. 5. During this movement of the loading tray, the unidirectional coupling engages and rotates the shaft 28 and the cranks 27a and 27b half a revolution in the direction of arrow 64 in FIG. 5, the pusher frame 20a thus performing a feed motion and the pusher frame 20b returning to the start position for a following feed motion.

FIGS. 69 illustrates an embodiment of the unidirectional coupling 30 in the power transmission between the reciprocating drive motor 16 and the drive shaft 28 of the cartridge transfer apparatuses of the magazine; Coupling component 31 shown as a disc is fixedly connected tothe drive shaft 28 and comprises two detents 32 and 33 located diametrically opposite to each other on the disc 31. The coupling component 4-8, which is in driving engagement with the reciprocating motor and thus subjected to a reciprocating movement, comprises a latch 42 which is pivotal about a pivot 41 attached to a crank lever 43. During a rotation of the coupling component 40 in the direction shown by arrow 44, the latch 42 engages one of the detents 32 or 33, taking the disc 31 with it, and during a rotation of the coupling component 4!) in opposite direction, the latch can pass the detents 32 and 33 by being pushed aside against the action of a spring 45.

During a back and forth movement of the coupling component 48 in which the lever 43 is rotated through an angle greater than but smaller than 360, the disc 31 is rotated half a revolution, the rotation of the disc 31 being repeated for each reciprocating movement of the coupling component 46. Thus, the pusher frames 28a and 2% of the magazine are alternately subjected to one feed motion and one return motion for each two reciprocating motion cycles of the loading tray 4 and the driving motor 16 thereof.

To provide for a damping of the shocks occurring when the coupling components engage each other, the disc 31 is connected to a further disc 35 by means of spring 34, this further disc 35 being rigidly attached to the drive shaft 28. To bring the shaft 28 and the cranks 27a and 27b to exactly determined positions at the end of each rotational movement, the coupling comprises a releasable retaining means actuating the shaft 28 to prevent it from moving too far in the direction in which it is driven during a reciprocating motion of the motor. Said retaining means comprises a latch 70 pivotally attached to a stationary part of the magazine by means of a pivot 71 and pivotal by action of a directive force, not illustrated in the drawing, into a position for cooperation with detents 72 and 73 radially extending from shaft 28 on radially opposite sides thereof. As illustrated, said detents are located on a housing 36 for the spring 34 attached to the disc 35. The latch 7ft has a detent 74, cooperative with the detents 72 and '73, and a releasing means in the form of a cam 75. This cam '75 cooperates with an actuating memher, a roller 46, arranged on the crank lever 43 of the reciprocating coupling component 4t). FIG. 8 shows the clutch component 4t? and the lever 43 thereof in a position occupied after a motion in the direction in which the coupling is not in engagement, that is to say in the position occupied when the loading tray, while executing a motion as illustrated in FIG. 4, is swung upwardly towards the magazine for receiving a cartridge. During a successive stroke of the reciprocating motion, the coupling component 4t) is rotated from the position illustrated in FIG. 8 in the direction illustrated by arrow 65 in FIG. 9, the roller 46 then actuating the latch releasing means '75 to release the engagement between detents 72 and 74. Thereafter, and while said detents are still out of engagement, the latch 42 catches one of the detents 32 and 33, in the position illustrated in FIG. 9 the detent 32, the disc 31, the shaft 23 and the disc 35 being then rotated by means of spring 34. When the roller 46 leaves the cam 75, the latch '70 returns to its active position, the detent 73 thus engaging detent 74 after the shaft 28 has rotated half a revolution. The clutch component 40 may rotate over a further angle, such movement being absorbed by the spring 34.

During a successive return motion of the motor 16, the latch 42 passes past the detent 33, this detent then occupy ing the position previously occupied by detent 32, while the roller 46 passes the cam '75 in the opposite direction.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a preferred example and embodiment thereof,

it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge feeding device for a gun having a cartridge magazine including two compartments disposed on opposite sides of the vertical center plane of the gun and a common discharge opening for discharging cartridges one by one from either compartment of the magazine, said feeding device comprising in combination:

a reciprocating transfer means for each compartment to transfer cartridges from the respective compartment to said common discharge opening of the magazine, each of said transfer means being movable for successively transferring cartridges to said cartridge discharge opening;

a common drive shaft;

a linkage means for each of said transfer means connecting the drive shaft to the respective transfer means to activate the same for transport of a cartridge to said discharge opening, said linkage means in response to a rotation of the drive shaft acting in a push-pull relationship such that said transfer means alternately move in the direction for pushing a cartridge toward the discharge opening and pulling back from said opening;

a reciprocatingly power driven cartridge loading mechanism movable between a cartridge loading position adjacent to said discharge opening and a ramming position for ramming a cartridge into a gun;

transmission means coupling said loading mechanism to said common drive shaft for unidirectionally rotating the same by the reciprocating movements of the loading mechanism; and

a unidirectional coupling means having two coupling members included in said transmission means, a first one of said coupling members being drivingly coupled to said power driven loading mechanism and the second one being connected to said common drive shaft, said coupling members engaging each other when the loading mechanism moves into one direction and disengaging each other when the loading mechanism moves into the opposite direction thereby rotating said drive shaft only and in the same direction when the coupling members are in engagement;

said transmission means having a transmission ratio such that one of the transfer means moves toward the discharge position and the other away from said position when the coupling members are in engagement.

2. A cartridge feeding device according to claim 1, wherein each of said cartridge transfer means comprises a cartridge pusher frame reciprocatingly movable for moving cartridges supported on said frames step-by-step toward said discharge opening, each of said linkage means including a bar linked on one end to the respective pusher frame and on the other end to a crank secured to said common drive shaft, the mutual angular positions of said cranks effecting said push-pull action of the linkage means, and wherein the ratio of said transmission means is such that the drive shaft is rotated through one-half revolution during each reciprocating cycle of the loading mechanism between the loading position and the ramming position.

3. A cartridge feeding device according to claim 1, wherein said second coupling member connected to the drive shaft comprises a disc having on one of its sides two circumferentially spaced, axially directed protrusions and the first coupling member connected to the reciprocating loading mechanism comprises a movable catch coacting with said protrusions, said catch engaging one of said protrusions during the reciprocating movement of the loading mechanism in one direction thereby correspondingly rotating the drive shaft and passing the protrusions during movement of the loading mechanism in the opposite direction.

4. A cartridge feeding device according to claim 1 and comprising retaining means including a detent on the second coupling member and a catch member pivotal about a stationary point and movable into and out of engagement with said detent, engagement of said detent and said catch member arresting rotation of said drive shaft, and actuating means actuated by the first coupling member for holding the catch member out of engagement with the detent when and while the first coupling member moves in the direction in which the two coupling members are in engagement with each other and freed by the first coupling member for movement of the catch into engagement with the detent when the two coupling members are disengaged from each other thereby limiting the rotation of the drive shaft to a predetermined angle.

5. A cartridge feeding device according to claim 1, wherein a damping spring means is interposed in the connection between the second coupling member and the drive shaft.

6. A cartridge feeding device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission ratio of the transmission means is such that said first coupling member rotates through an angle of at least one-half revolution but less than one complete revolution during each reciprocating cycle of the loading mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,975,678 3/1961 Finn 8945 2,988,963 6/1961 Goodhue 8933 3,021,762 2/1962 Soderqvist 8933 3,142, 26 7/1964 Carlsson 8945 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

